The oil valves on the coast of the Caspian Sea are tightened again, and the black blood of Kazakhstan flows along the pipeline towards the depths of the Eurasian continent. From inland oil fields to Mediterranean ports, this energy artery not only carries the lifeline of national finance, but also drives the resource-based economy to make a difficult transition towards high value-added industries.

In 2025, Harbin's crude oil exports reached a historic high of 76.3 million tons, a year-on-year increase of 7.4% and a 20% increase from 2015. Italy is the largest importer, and the Caspian Pipeline Alliance undertakes the majority of Kazakhstan's crude oil exports. In the past decade, the overall export of crude oil from Kazakhstan has increased from 63.6 million tons in 2015 to 76.3 million tons in 2025, with a significant growth rate in recent years.

Production, sales, and revenue fluctuations

The growth of crude oil exports is accompanied by a new high in production, with an oil production of 99.6 million tons by 2025, mainly driven by the increase in production in the Tengiz oilfield. Due to disruptions in CPC operations, the oil production target for 2026 has been lowered to 96 million tons. The oil export value will increase from 26.8 billion US dollars to 40 billion US dollars from 2015 to 2025. The export volume and amount do not change in the same direction. In 2025, the export volume will increase but the export value will decrease, reflecting the direct impact of international oil prices on export earnings. 40 billion US dollars is the value of crude oil exports, and the country relies on taxes, fees, and oil and gas equity to obtain relevant fiscal revenue.

Overseas export markets

By 2025, Italy will be the largest market for crude oil in Kazakhstan, with the top five importing countries accounting for over 70% of the total export volume. China imported 3.8 million tons that year, and other major buyers include Türkiye, Germany, Singapore and South Korea. CPC is the core export channel for crude oil from Kazakhstan, and Harry actively promotes the diversification of export channels by exporting crude oil through the Baku Tbilisi Ceyhan pipeline. Keywords: Kazakhstan, oil fields, international, industrial transformation

In the first half of 2026, the export volume and value of crude oil from Kazakhstan both fell, oil prices slightly increased, and the proportion of oil in total export revenue decreased. The contribution of other categories of exports increased, and Italy remained the primary buyer. The crude oil production decreased synchronously in the first half of the year. The expansion of Tengiz Oilfield has been completed and reached the designed production capacity. Ha crude oil production is constrained by the OPEC+production reduction agreement. Oil exports are an important source of finance for Kazakhstan, and oil and gas companies are supporting the construction of livelihood infrastructure in production areas. Ha's long-term goal is to develop high value-added industries such as petrochemicals, promote the transformation of resource-based economy, and achieve sustainable development.Editor/Gong Ziwei